Car-Free Cities: Regenerative Urban Planning and Prioritizing Pedestrians

Abstract

In many countries and cities, both a driver’s license and a car, grants the de facto freedom to move and travel, whereas waiting at a bus stop or bicycling is a de facto public declaration of urban immobility. Cars, however, are becoming accepted as an unsustainable mode of transportation by being a primary contributor towards increasing levels of air and noise pollution, urban congestion, fatal accidents, and the physical invasion of public space (Jaroš & Štraub, 2019). On the contrary, public transportation and different forms of micromobility, have been proven to be an effective tool in solving many of the aforementioned market failures created by cars and serve as a critical step in the transition towards a more sustainable transportation industry (Martin, 2021; Miller et al., 2016). As governments aim to transition towards a sustainable economy, governments need to implement innovative policies that encourage safe and sustainable modes of urban transportation and return public space to people. Though politically controversial, declaring a city as “car-free” is an effective policy towards achieving the transition towards a sustainable urban environment.

Keywords: Urban Planning, car-dependency, public space, green space, cars, pedestrians, sustainability, sustainable development, micromobility, urbanism, climate change, cars